Klea Blackhurst, Erin Markey & More to Join THE MEETING* in Honoring Ethel Merman, 1/18

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will return to JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater on Sunday, January 18 at 9:30 PM to open the Winter/Spring 2015 Season. The Meeting* has been called "delicious and delightfully droll" by The New York Post and "hilarious and sardonic" by The Village Voice. A story for Slate.com called the evening "so deliciously icy that it left me shivering with fear and delight." The Fall 2014 shows sold out after a New York Times "Arts & Leisure" piece ran in September. The January show will include a tribute to Broadway legend Ethel Merman, with special guests Klea Blackhurst, Erin Markey, Nora Mae Lyng, Molly Pope and Ben Rimalower. Tracy Stark serves as the show's Music Director.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, which enjoyed a successful run at the Broadway nightclub 54 Below, made its Los Angeles debut at the Bootleg Theater earlier this year just returned to the venue on for an encore show. The third episode of "Sparkle & Circulate with Justin Sayre" - the official podcast of the International Order of Sodomites - features an interview with writer and performer Jeffery Self and is available here. "The Gay Agenda" - the debut comedy album from Justin Sayre and The Meeting*- will be available in later in 2015.

Justin Sayre and The Meeting* - known for a signature blend of outrageous comedy, politics, culture and everything in between - were named among the Top nightclub shows of 2013 by Time Out New York, and received the 2012 Bistro Award for "Comedy Artistry" and a 2011 MAC Award nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance. Each month, the I.O.S gathers to honor an artist or a cultural work that is iconic to the gay community. Justin Sayre, the show's creator, writer and host, serves as the Chairman of the Board of the International Order of Sodomites and brings his singular wit to essential business of the day through such regular features such as "Letters to the Chairman" and "New Rulings from the Board."

Justin Sayre's video "The New Hanky Code" - taped last season at Joe's Pub - was a surprise online hit with over 51,000 views. It debuted on The Huffington Post and was picked up by several major outlets around the world. To keep up to do date with videos from recent shows, subscribe to the I.O.S. YouTube channel

Night of a Thousand Judys - the special all-star concert presentation of The Meeting* to benefit Ali Forney Center - returned for its fourth annual installment in June 2014. These Judy Garland tributes starred diverse talent such as Martha Wash, Carolee Carmello, Justin Vivian Bond, Randy Harrison, Sarah Dash, Madeleine Peyroux, Bridget Everett, Austin Scarlett, Tonya Pinkins, Michael Musto, Jane Monheit, Jackie Hoffman, Rory O'Malley, Karen Akers, Howard McGillin, Ashley Brown, Daniel Reichard, Karen Wyman, Paul Iacono and Daisy Eagan, among many others. For more information, please visit www.AliForneyCenter.org.

JUSTIN SAYRE was described by Michael Musto in The Village Voice as "Oscar Wilde meets Whoopi Goldberg." In a recent story for Edge New York, Steve Weinstein said "Comedian, raconteur, performing artist, gay rights activist and sexual outlaw: I'm not sure Justin Sayre is classifiable. The veteran performer is on his way to becoming a Downtown Manhattan institution along the lines of Charles Ludlum or Charles Busch." Justin is a child of Forty Fort, Pennsylvania who demonstrated a supernatural instinct for "camp" at an early age. With a voice straight out the MGM finishing school for girls, he moved to New York believing it was still 1947. He was terribly misinformed. As an actor, he has worked and studied with some of the finest professionals in the city. As a comedian, Sayre is regular guest at Homo-Comicus at the Gotham Comedy Club and contributing writer to Murray Hill's ShowBiz on MTVX. As a gay, Justin has excelled at scarf placement, devilish quips, and a healthy but firm love of the American musical. An evening of his short plays, Justin Sayre Is Alive and Well... Writing - called one of the "Top 10 Events on the New York Stage" by the New York Daily News - sold out two shows at Ars Nova in 2012. Sayre's play, The Click of the Lock, was a finalist for the Eugene O'Neill Theater Conference and debuted at The Cherry Lane Theatre starring Randy Harrison. Sayre is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and Flavorwire, as well offering playful and witty love advice at The Date Report. He is currently a staff writer for "2 Broke Girls" on CBS-TV and is writing a young adult book, which will be released by Penguin Books in 2015.

The Meeting* monthly events have featured popular guest stars such as Lea DeLaria, Tonya Pinkins, Robin Byrd, Marilyn Maye, Christian Campbell, Joe Iconis, Frank DeCaro, Lance Horne, Lady Rizo, Tituss Burgess, Kenny Mellman, Maude Maggart, Jack Ferver, Murray Hill, Jeffery Self, Cole Escola, Bridget Everett and more. Previous shows have paid tribute to singers such as Dolly Parton and Diana Ross; films like "Valley of the Dolls" and "Beaches"; actresses such as Bea Arthur and Molly Ringwald; as well as playwrights and filmmakers like Tennessee Williams and John Waters. According to Time Out New York, "The Meeting* has become a cult hit among a young, festive and culturally aware crowd. Sayre is an avatar of modern-retro cultivation."

Visit www.InternationalOrderofSodomites.com for more information.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre will be presented at JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater. The venue is located at 425 Lafayette Street (between East 4th and Astor Place) NYC, adjacent to The Public Theater. For tickets - which cost $20 - call (212) 967-7555 or visit joespub.com, or visit in person at The Public Theater Box Office from 1pm to 6pm Joe's Pub from 6pm to 10pm (Both located at 425 Lafayette St. For table reservations, call (212) 539-8778. The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre is produced by Dan Fortune and Adam J. Rosen with Dan Fortune serving as executive producer.

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